Approaching the recently reopened Hotel Eden, you can tell from the grand Beaux Arts portico that this is a special place. The property’s rich history dates back to 1889, when German hotelier Francesco Niestelweck turned the mansion near Rome’s lush Villa Borghese gardens into a hotel favored by royalty and celebrities, including King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Queen Amelia of Portugal, and Federico Fellini. Though it channels that era’s glamor, it’s definitely not stuck in its Dolce Vita past.

No stranger to cinematic grand dames, the Dorchester Collection (which also runs the Plaza Athénée in Paris, L.A.’s Beverly Hills Hotel, and a handful of other five-star properties) bought Hotel Eden four years ago and spent 17 months updating it for today’s savvy travelers, working with not one but two prestigious design studios. Now the intimate lobby lounge is a jewel box of polished marble, gold chandeliers, a coffered ceiling, pastoral frescoes, and plush velvet divans. Il Giardino on the top floor serves Chef Fabio Ciervo’s healthy menu of salads, pizza, and pastas in a modern, airy space designed by Paris-based firm Jouin Manku. At the more formal restaurant La Terrazza (also designed by Jouin Manku), Ciervo lets his creativity loose, using liquid nitrogen and exotic ingredients to enhance the dishes. The spa offers facials designed by Sonya Dakar, a favorite of A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow.

All of the 98 rooms and suites—designed by Bruno Moinard and Claire Betaille of 4BI & Associates—exude refined elegance, with plush white bedding and bathrooms made of marble that sparkles in the light. But the room to book is the top-floor Bellavista Suite, reachable by its own elevator. Compared to the rest of the rooms, it feels refreshingly modern, with clean-lined furniture in shades of beige, orange, and crimson, a gallery wall showcasing original artwork and antique maps, and views stretching all the way to Piazza Venezia.

With an open-plan living/dining room, master bedroom, luxurious marble bathroom, powder room, and pantry, the suite feels more like a private apartment than a hotel room. Luckily, you’ve got all the services of a five-star hotel, including complimentary transfers, daily housekeeping, and a concierge who can arrange anything from reservations at Rome’s top restaurants to a jaunt around the city’s most incredible under-the-radar sites by Fiat 500 with Imago Artis, a tour company with unparalleled access to Rome’s most exclusive experiences. Call it a Roman holiday for the 21st century. From $16,000/night; dorchestercollection.com

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